


Collide

by UninspiredPoet



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Canon Lesbian Relationship, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Face-Sitting, Fluff, Lesbian Sex, Love Confessions, Oral Sex, Post-Canon, SOFT GAYS, Useless Lesbians, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 08:50:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19247845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UninspiredPoet/pseuds/UninspiredPoet
Summary: Liadrin has survived yet another war. There is tentative peace in the world, yet again. This time, though, it's different. This time, Liadrin is done. Her retirement ceremony is full of admirers and friends. Familiar and unfamiliar faces that have all come to see her pass the torch she has borne for so long. Too long. The only thing missing...is Valeera.((Disclaimer: My not-for-profit transformative work is only published by me on Archive of Our Own. I do not give my consent or authorization for it to be reproduced or displayed on any third-party websites or apps.))





	Collide

The war was over. That was something Liadrin didn’t quite know how to cope with. No more than she knew how to cope with all the pomp and circumstance surrounding her retirement. Lor’themar had been speaking for...a while. That’s all she knew, right now. That, and she was starting to feel stiff from standing so still for so long, and that was saying a lot. Especially for her. 

Well, she was also overdressed. She was hyper-aware of that. As much as she’d wanted to be in her regular off-duty uniform, she’d somehow wound up in well over a hundred pounds of armor, gleaming in brilliant reds and golds that must have been nearly blinding to the gathered crowd. 

A crowd of fellow Blood Knights. Friends. Acquaintances...and no small number people she’d couldn’t remember even having seen before. The one person she might have wanted to be there wasn’t. The one person she might have wanted some semblance of approval from couldn’t possibly have come. Yet, she’d found herself looking through the crowd a time or to while the commanding tone of the Regent Lord’s voice washed over everyone in attendance. She’d found herself looking for ruby red lips and brilliant emerald eyes. 

Even when the speeches were over - her ordeal was not. The time had come to name her successor. For his presence, at least, she was grateful. Magister Astalor had fought with her more times than she could count. He had been part of the thread that had bound their order together since its birth, and her second in command for nearly as long. Some had questioned her placement of a Magister at the head of their order, though none had dare presented that concern to her directly. It was a new era. An era of peace, albeit tenuous. The shield and sword-bearing matriarch knew it was time to make way for a softer figurehead. One more adept at politics than her, yet one that Liadrin knew would defend both their order and their people to his last breath should the occasion ever rise again. 

None of those that doubted her decision, at least, were among their own. Every Knight present at this ceremony had followed Astalor loyally and knew the wisdom in their Matriarch’s decision. And Lor’themar? Well. He both knew the wisdom in and trusted the decision of one of his oldest and most trusted friends. 

As Astalor reached to clasp Liadrin’s forearm, she returned the gesture and leaned in as he did, tilting her head as he seemed inclined to speak into her ear. 

“I’m roasting alive.” He quipped so quietly that only Liadrin would hear. 

Her face stayed stoic and placid as she responded. “I’ve already roasted. I hope they like their retired matriarchs well-done.” 

Astalor pulled back with a quiet chuckle as Liadrin turned to address the Knights standing behind them. Knights that drew their fists across their chests in response to her direct attention. 

Liadrin spoke loudly enough that all in attendance could hear her, despite the fact that she was facing away from them. “Since the Scourge Wars, we, as an Order, have protected these lands and its citizens selflessly. Savagely. We have done so in ways none of us might never have guessed. Perhaps in some ways we might regret. Now, under Astalor’s leadership, we will protect the peace that those decisions - that our blood, sweat, tears and even our lives have paid for. Do you swear yourselves to him loyally, unquestioningly - as you swore yourselves to me what feels like a lifetime ago?” 

In perfect unison, they turned their collective attention to the Blood Knight Magister next to Liadrin, and each one of them bent to one knee before him. The crowd was utterly silent as Liadrin drew her sword and the holy energy within it responded to her touch. She turned it within her gauntleted hand and held it out - supporting its heft easily despite the awkward position of her arm. 

“Then rise before him. Rise in the peace we have won. Yet, rise ready. Always ready.” 

The magister looked at the sword and took it from her, watching as the light that pulsed through it shifted and changed into a radiant mixture of yellows and purples that flowed and pulsed in response to the magics that dwelled within him. 

Soon, the Knights were standing. Their fists made contact with their chests and their eyes remained on Astalor. 

In the next moments, any murmuring in the crowd was gone as Liadrin removed her insignia and held it in her hand. She traced the lines of the emblem and then clenched her jaw as she handed it to Astalor. “I know who you give this to will have earned it. I know they will be worthy of its honor...and of its burden.” 

Astalor’s brow furrowed and he nodded as he accepted it and clasped it tightly. It was just an insignia. Like all those that the Order carried. At least, it was supposed to be. Yet, it felt heavy in his hand and then in the pouch at his belt even as the ceremony ended. 

Liadrin knew she was expected to stay. To mingle with the gathered crowd and present an image of strength and positivity and confidence in their future. 

It was difficult. Confidence was the last thing Liadrin had, right then. She knew she needed this. She was tired. So incredibly tired. Yet, who was she, now? A person. A person like any other. Mingling around amongst countless people who didn’t truly know her only drove that realization home that much harder. 

People acted like she was untouchable. Something to be revered and perhaps even feared. That’s why she was surprised when she felt a sudden, quick touch against her side and turned with a smile, perhaps expecting Lor’themar, only to find no one standing there. 

It wasn’t over soon enough. In fact, she didn’t manage to drag herself into her rooms until well after dark. Perhaps she’d made a mistake in not partaking in the drink everyone had been enjoying. That’s all she could think as she began pulling her too-heavy ceremonial armor from her body piece by piece. When she finally got to the tabard, she held it in her hands and looked at it for a long time, stroking over the embroidery with her fingertips. 

She placed it with her armor in the chest she’d been filling with a shuddering breath, frowning softly when she noticed the dull edge of a small piece of parchment among the highly polished metal already there. 

Liadrin bent to retrieve it and opened it slowly, her lips parting in a quiet gasp when recognized handwriting that was all too familiar. 

_You were so beautiful. -V_

There was an ache in her throat, suddenly, as she turned towards the rest of her room, almost expecting Valeera to be standing behind her. Instead, there was no one. But she’d been there. She’d seen. 

That’s what almost overwhelmed her. On top of everything else - the gravity of her decision, the chests that were taking up too much space in her room, the emptiness of it after having been largely packed away. Somewhere in that crowd, Valeera’s eyes had been on her. 

Her eyes were burning as she made her way into her bathroom. Burning with tears that she couldn’t afford to allow herself to shed. Not yet. She needed to finish this. She needed to finish this chapter of her life. 

When she saw the rose placed upon the counter in her bathroom, however, that plan went out the window. A single, hot tear made its way down her cheek as she lifted the rose and noticed the thorns had been broken off. “Fuck.” 

“Gonna start talking dirty to me now that you’re retired?” 

Liadrin turned quickly, still clutching both the rose and the note as her eyes fell on Valeera. Valeera, who was wearing a plain brown cloak over oddly dull, brunette hair and virtually no makeup. Valeera, who looked almost nothing like Valeera. Until she smirked. “Like the new look? I’m not too partial, myself. Don’t worry, it washes out.” The smirk faded for just a moment as she looked down at the bottle of wine she was holding and lifted it to show Liadrin. “I knew today was gonna be hard for you.” She explained, eventually lifting her eyes back to the older woman. “I was…” Valeera sighed. “I haven’t ever felt the way I did while you were up there.” 

Liadrin could see Valeera was struggling. She could see her fighting for words that didn’t come naturally, and something about it drew her closer until she was taking the bottle from the younger woman and sitting it on her dresser along with the rose and the note. Holding her was infinitely more important right then. Pulling her close and breathing her in and drawing the hood away from her head so she could stroke through her hair. “And how will you feel when I’m walking around in a shirt and breeches in my retirement villa?” 

“Relieved.” Valeera murmured in response, finding Liadrin’s sides and pulling her closer before she dug her fingertips into the small of the other woman’s back. “But could you stop calling it a villa? It’s really hard to take you seriously when you do that.” 

“It’s going to be beautiful when I finish fixing it up. I promise.” 

Valeera nodded and pressed her face against Liadrin’s chest, finding a particularly thick scar on her back with her fingertips. “I don’t care. I don’t care if it’s a villa or a wooden box. Besides, I’m going to help you.” 

Liadrin pulled away, not bothering to hide the look of shock on her face. “Help me?” 

“Obviously.”

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t really obvious,” Liadrin replied with a bemused expression on her face. 

“I can do more than just sneak around and get you off, Liadrin, but if you’d rather hide from everyone including me-”

“No. No, I don’t want that. I’m sorry.” Liadrin frowned and pressed a few kisses to Valeera’s cheek. “I’m so happy. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know how you would feel. We’ve been doing this for years and I just...Valeera, I don’t know.” 

“I know we have.” Valeera murmured, allowing the soothing kisses and touches rather gladly. “This is...this is possible, now. This could be different, now. I’m terrified. But I want it. I want to be able to see you without all this. You know what was keeping us apart. You always have.” 

“Not anymore.” Liadrin cradled the sides of Valeera’s face so she could just look at her for a moment. “You can be you and I can be whatever it is that I am, now, and neither of those things have to keep us apart any longer.” 

Valeera reached for Liadrin’s hands and stroked over them before pulling away entirely. “Let me help you pack or something.”

“I have people coming for that tomorrow. Why don’t you wash that out of your hair and have a glass of wine with me, instead?” 

“Oh. Fuck. The wine. Yes. God, yes. A glass of wine.” 

The next few hours saw them simply enjoying each other’s company. One bottle of wine turned into three, a rather long bath, and other, much needed activities. Valeera was gone in the morning by the time the movers arrived. 

Funny, almost, how used to that Liadrin was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I think ‘shack’ was fair.” Valeera called out with her hands on her hips and a furrow between her brows.

Liadrin laughed quietly and wiped her brow as she looked up from the wood she’d been cutting. She was dressed much like she’d previously threatened she would be. Breeches and a pair of soft, worn-in leather boots and a loose, light doe-skin shirt. “I missed you, too.” She quipped easily in response as the younger woman walked around the front of the little cottage and then moved behind Liadrin to place a hand against her back. 

“I’m only giving you a hard time. You look…”

“I know. I’m filthy. I’ve been working non-stop since I got here.” 

“Younger.” Valeera corrected her. “It’s only been a week since I saw you. I figured you’d at least save some of the work for me.” 

“I’ve been sneaking out here for weeks. There’s not that much left to do. The inside is already done.” Liadrin removed the gloves she’d been wearing or work and placed them on the board she’d been cutting before she turned to face Valeera. “I wanted it to be ready for you.” 

Valeera had dressed simply, too. That was the first thing Liadrin noticed as she stood comfortably in her arms. A little red, of course. Her shirt. A light linen piece that must have cost a small fortune that she still saw fit to wear out here into the middle of the forest. 

The second thing Liadrin noticed was the bag Valeera had slung over her shoulder, and she touched the strap that crossed over her chest lightly. 

“I told you. It could have been a box. You didn’t need to try so hard for me.” 

“You have a bag.” Liadrin responded, watching as Valeera feigned surprise and looked down at it. 

“You don’t say. Am I not allowed to stay over, now? I figured that might be more doable, now that you’re a hermit.”

Liadrin looked visibly wounded at that as she took Valeera’s bag from her. “I’m not a hermit.” She complained quietly as she made her way towards the cottage with a hand on Valeera’s lower back. 

“An attractive one, granted. But, yes, you are a hermit.” 

“Didn’t know you had a thing for hermits, if I’m being entirely honest.” Liadrin said as she shut the door behind them and placed Valeera’s bag near the door. 

“Yeah, who would have thought?” Valeera responded absently as she looked around. Liadrin really had put a lot of effort into this. That much, Valeera could tell. It was...lovely. All warm woods and a large, stone hearth. Some of her furniture had come with her. A soft armchair Valeera knew Liadrin had always been fond of. Her bed, though the rather ornate headboard seemed to have been replaced with a polished wooden one. But when she sat on the edge of it, she knew that was all that had changed. She’d have recognized this mattress anywhere. 

The smell hit her, finally, once she was over the initial shock of all the work Liadrin had done. “What is that?” She asked, looking towards the fireplace at the large put that was hanging to simmer near the flames. 

“Stew. Rabbit, herbs, and some vegetables I’ve gathered. I’ve been working on my cooking, too. I’m hoping to have it together enough out here to plant some things, soon. The less I have to leave, the better. For a while, anyway.” 

Valeera noted that Liadrin almost seemed like she had some sort of nervous energy about her, and patted the bed next to herself. “Come here. Come sit with me.”

Liadrin cleared her throat and moved across the room as soon as Valeera asked her to. The warmth of Valeera’s hand on her thigh brought a calm over her that she hadn’t been expecting. 

“Are you alright?” Valeera asked, stroking over Liadrin’s knee and listening carefully as she drew in a deep breath then leaned forward with a faint shake of her head. 

“I’m glad you’re here.” Liadrin murmured, finding Valeera’s hand with her own and twining their fingers together. 

“You didn’t answer me, Liadrin.”

“I’ll get there. I know I needed this. I know it was the right decision. It’s just strange. It all just feels strange.” 

“You could go back, you know.” Valeera suggested quietly, lifting a hand to tilt Liadrin’s chin so she could brush a soft series of kisses along her jaw. “Those rooms in Silvermoon are yours, right?”

“Yes. I kept them. I didn’t really need to sell...I had more than enough saved for...anything, really. I think this is what I need right now, though. I think the further away from it all that I am, the better off I’ll be. The quicker I’ll get used to the fact that I’m not who I was, anymore.” 

“You’re the same person, Liadrin. You just don’t have as much armor on.” Valeera moved, suddenly, to straddle her lap and Liadrin’s hands found her hips almost immediately in a way that made Valeera smile. “See?” 

Liadrin laughed quietly as Valeera pushed her back onto the bed. 

“No matter how much of a hermit I am, I’m still going to be attracted to you.” 

“Are you?” Valeera asked as Liadrin began drawing her shirt slowly up her sides and tracing her rough fingertips along soft, familiar skin. 

“Every day more than the last.” 

“Yeah, you’re definitely the same person.” Valeera murmured as her shirt was slipped from her head and discarded beside them on the bed. 

Liadrin really had missed her. And not just this. Not just the way her back felt beneath her hands or the softness of her breasts against her mouth when she leaned up to claim them with gentle bites and kisses. All of it. All of her. As if to show Valeera that, she turned her over with as much grace and gentleness as she ever had. She kissed down the front of her body and stroked languidly along her thighs until she got to the laces of her breeches and looked up at Valeera, catching her gaze with her own and finding the end of a lace with her teeth. 

She loosed it slowly, lifting her head as her fangs glinted softly in the firelight and Valeera’s hand found her hair. “I hope you aren’t just teasing me, Liadrin.” Valeera husked quietly as she found a pillow to prop her head against. 

“I would never. You have always been the best tease in all of Azeroth. It would be a pointless endeavor to try and best you.” 

Instead of looking hurt, Valeera looked almost pleased as a crooked little smirk graced her lips while she lifted her hips to help the other woman pull her breeches from her legs. Liadrin settled comfortably between them and took her time getting around to what they both wanted. She began with resting her cheek against Valeera’s thigh and leaving little trails of sensation along the opposite one with her nails. Then she slid her hand beneath the underside of her knee to spread her leg further to the side, her eyes shifting to already glistening, silky skin that was now better exposed to her. 

Valeera didn’t mind. In fact, she was stroking slowly through Liadrin’s hair once she released it from the leather lace that had been holding it back. “One of my favorite things about sleeping with you has always been the way you look at me.” Valeera whispered, and Liadrin turned her head to press her smile against Valeera’s inner thigh as long, shining locks of red hair fell against it. Hair that Valeera tucked behind Liadrin’s ears to get it out of her way just as she pressed the first kiss against her clit. 

“Funny.” Liadrin murmured - her low voice drawing an appreciative sigh from Valeera as it only added to the physical sensation of the other woman’s lips brushing against her. “One of my favorite things is looking at you.” 

They didn’t have much room for words after that. Liadrin’s mouth was far too busy for talking. Yet, it stayed slow. Like she was savoring every moment because she was. Even as one of her arms moved and her finger joined her mouth it was achingly slow. Inch by inch Valeera felt it enter her and by the time it had, her grip on Liadrin’s hair was almost too strong. Almost. 

She managed to relax, though, because she knew that’s what Liadrin wanted. She knew Liadrin just wanted to enjoy her. And, fuck, she wanted her to. Because Valeera certainly didn’t mind it. Not right now, anyway. Not with all this newfound freedom they had yet to explore. 

It could only last so long, though. Valeera could only deny herself so many times - and by the third time her hips began to lift from the bed, Liadrin finally sped her motions. She finally pressed a second finger in beside the first and began curling them just the way Valeera liked. 

All the gentle rising and falling over the past moments culminated in an orgasm that left Valeera panting and shaking against the bed - her eyes shut tightly and her hands searching for Liadrin as her presence suddenly shifted from between her legs. 

“Clothes.” She whispered breathlessly, tugging incessantly at the front of Liadrin’s pants until the older woman laughed softly - her voice husky and edged with desire - a tone Valeera had always found more intoxicating than the finest of wines. 

Liadrin obeyed, of course. Soon enough, she was straddling Valeera with her clothes discarded somewhere nearby, treating Valeera to a sight she would never tire of. “You are just...you have no idea, Liadrin.” Valeera whispered, splaying her fingers along Liadrin’s legs before she reached beneath her and pulled her up rather forcefully, laughing as Liadrin lurched forward and had to grab the headboard. 

“Oh.” Liadrin breathed as she felt Valeera’s hands grasp her ass to keep her from moving back. 

“Mhm.” Valeera replied simply as she shifted to allow Liadrin to get situated more comfortably over her face. 

“You could have asked.” Liadrin responded breathlessly. 

“I could have.” Valeera agreed before nipping the crook of Liadrin’s thigh. “Or you could just ride my face because you always give me what I want, anyway.” 

Whether or not Liadrin agreed outwardly, they both knew the truth, and she was in no mood to argue. Especially not when she lowered herself onto that sinful, velvety heat that waited for her. 

Rather quickly, anything that wasn’t that feeling melted away and it was just Liadrin rocking her hips against Valeera’s mouth, seeking out more of the hungry, quiet moans that were escaping the younger woman’s lips against her. She couldn’t have controlled it if she’d wanted to. Her knuckles were white where they gripped the headboard - her thighs trembled as Valeera had to reach to help her support them. 

She managed, at some point, to hang her head enough that she could look down at Valeera and the sight was almost too much for her. Rarely had she seen the younger woman look so intently focused. The pleasure? Yeah, she’d seen that. But this was different. 

It was different for Valeera, too. She’d never felt more like Liadrin was hers than she did in this moment. Something about the way she gasped and whimpered and bucked over her, perhaps. But not only that. Liadrin had always belonged to Quel’Thalas. To Silvermoon. That had always been first. She wasn’t like Valeera, who belonged to no entity. To no nation. She had always lived with the knowledge that Liadrin would willingly give her life for her people. That someday she might hear that she had done just that.

Not anymore. Not ever again. Liadrin was hers now. Only hers. This wasn’t possible their last time. She wasn’t trying to make it something more than it was because it could be the last memory they had together before Liadrin made the sacrifice Valeera had feared for years.

How, then, was it so much more than it had ever been? How was Liadrin shaking and reaching for her hand when she came in a way that she never had before? 

Valeera didn’t know. Neither of them did. But, god, they clung to each other. Valeera couldn’t keep her hands out of Liadrin’s hair. Liadrin couldn’t keep hers off of Valeera. The back of her neck, her arms. They just couldn’t stop touching each other for the longest time. 

Until the stew began to smell too good. Even then, Valeera only looked at it longingly from where she lay, tangled with Liadrin in bed. 

“I’ll get up.” Liadrin whispered as she noticed where Valeera’s eyes had come to rest. Valeera didn’t let her go at first, and that made Liadrin smile. A smile that turned into a gentle kiss against Valeera’s lips. “I’ll be right back, silly elf.” 

Valeera sighed at the older woman and released her, enjoying the view she was treated to as Liadrin padded across the room. She hadn’t seen her with her hair down that much, really. It was striking. How could she not appreciate the way it fell down her back and cascaded over the muscles there - the red a stark contrast against her skin. Like a walking sunset or something. 

Valeera very nearly rolled her eyes at herself, then. God. Ridiculous. 

“I can feel you looking at me.” Liadrin said quietly as she pulled the pot away from the fire and began to ladle them each a bowl of the stew that had been simmering for a majority of the day. 

“Good. I wish you could see what I see right now.” Valeera replied as she sat up in bed to wait for Liadrin to return with their well-earned meal. 

Liadrin was smiling when she walked back over. “Mhm. Now who’s got the silver tongue?” She asked as she handed Valeera her bowl and moved to sit beside her. 

“Oh, definitely me, did you just get the same head that I gave you?” 

Liadrin was glad she didn’t have any stew in her mouth, right then. She wasn’t sure it would have stayed there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liadrin smiled as she placed Valeera’s glass in front of her at the table they shared almost every night, now. She kept smiling as she leaned down to kiss her. She didn’t even stop as she moved to sit in her chair. Finally, Valeera’s ears sank slightly and she lifted a brow. “What’s that look for?”

“Do you realize you’ve been here for over two weeks, this time?” Liadrin asked as she leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her tea. 

Valeera’s face flushed in a way that almost had Liadrin regretting that she’d even pointed it out. 

“We had to finish the porch.” Valeera replied softly, looking down into her mug as she traced the rim of it with her thumb.

“I’ve never been this happy.” Liadrin replied, placing her mug down and shifting her foot across the floor until their legs were pressed together underneath the table. “I never thought I could be.” 

Valeera didn’t know what to do with that information for a moment or two. It was almost overwhelming to her. In...in a strangely good way that she hadn’t been expecting. “You deserve that. You deserve to be happy.” She finally said, though she didn’t look up quite yet. “I wish I’d been able to-“

They both looked quickly towards the door, then, in response to a knock at it. Liadrin looked confused, as though she were trying to remember something. Then it hit her. 

“Oh, right.” She said as she got up and made her way over. “Lor’themar.” 

Valeera’s brows nearly lifted straight off her head, but she settled her expression into something more acceptable and stood as the man entered the little cottage with a hearty greeting and a firm hug for Liadrin before his eyes settled on Valeera on the other side of the room. 

“Lady Sanguinar. So nice to see you.” He said warmly with a faint tilt of his head. 

“Quite. Would you like some tea? It’s a lovely blend.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” He replied before Liadrin showed him over to the table and pulled a chair over for him. 

Only when Valeera placed the fresh cup in front of him and re-took her seat did Liadrin realize, with a shocking suddenness, that Lor’themar hadn’t known Valeera would be here. That Lor’themar hadn’t known Valeera had any business being anywhere near her, much less in such a seemingly comfortable, domestic setting. 

Her eyes darted from Valeera, who looked almost smug, to her friend - who looked irritatingly amused. 

“Fuck, I...ah…ahhh…”

Liadrin wanted to melt in the floor, and the snort that came from Valeera’s direction didn’t help much.

“You’re retired, Liadrin.” Lor’themar said easily as he stirred some honey into his tea and cast a glance in Valeera’s direction to see if she was as amused as he was. She...absolutely was. “I don’t care. And you act as if I haven’t known for years.” 

Liadrin had to check, then, that she hadn’t _actually_ melted into the floor, considering how warm her cheeks and ears currently were. 

“And how the hell have you known for years, exactly?”

Lor’themar gave her a questioning look, wondering if she really wanted him to go there. Judging by the look on her face, she did. Very well, then.

“You were never...a celibate woman, Liadrin. Let’s go ahead and admit that amongst ourselves, yes? What’s a little truth among friends? You expected me to believe that after all the years I’ve known you, you just suddenly swore off sex, entirely? Besides, the guards have seen her around your neck of the woods a time or two too many for it to be coincidence.” 

Liadrin was silent. She had absolutely expected him to believe that. 

“You stopped sleeping with other people?” Valeera asked Liadrin with a faint smirk as Lor’themar’s eyes widened. 

“You are uninvited to any future teas, Lor’themar.” Liadrin muttered quietly. “Valeera was an unaligned operative. She had every reason to visit Silvermoon from time to time.” 

“Yeah. Yeah, I bet she did.” Lor’themar replied over the rim of his cup as Valeera finally completely broke into uncontrollable laughter. 

“Both of you are uninvited from tea.” Liadrin seemed to finally be lightening up, now, though the redness in her face had done very little dying-down. 

“Is this effective immediately, or…?” Lor’themar asked as he hovered his cup over the surface of the table. 

“I can’t stand you.” 

“I like him, actually.” Valeera chimed in all too cheerfully. 

“I guess he can stay, then.” Liadrin replied, much to Lor’themar’s chagrin. 

“So it’s that good, huh?” 

“What? What’s that good?” Liadrin demanded wearily. 

Valeera shared another look with Lor’themar as her shoulders continued to shake with laughter. 

“You’re lucky you’re pretty, Liadrin. Because you’re terrible at innuendos.” 

“Lor’themar Theron do not call me pretty. You know I hate that.” Liadrin narrowed her eyes at him from across the table and she saw Valeera feign a pout from the corner of her eye. 

“You like it when I call you pretty when we’re-“

“Enough! For fuck’’s sake, enough, both of you.”

They somehow managed to settle down, then. Each of them recognizing, in their own way, that Liadrin had had enough. 

The rest of their impromptu gathering went by pleasantly enough. Lor’themar, blessedly, didn’t fill her in on very much court gossip and he and Valeera seemed to have taken a genuine liking to each other by the time all was said and done. 

Once he was seen off for the night, Valeera shut the door and walked past Liadrin to straighten up for her. 

“I did, too.” Valeera said idly as she began carrying their cups and plates over to the sink Liadrin had only just finished working on a day or so ago. 

“You did, what?” Liadrin asked as she walked up behind her to kiss her shoulder and wrap her arms around her middle. 

“Stopped sleeping with other people.” 

Liadrin froze for a moment, for the most part. Aside from where her thumb was stroking Valeera’s stomach idly through her shirt. “I never asked you to do that.” 

“No, you didn’t.” Valeera replied as she turned in Liadrin’s arms and reached up to rest her hands on the older woman’s shoulders. “And I never asked that of you, either.” 

“When did you stop?” Liadrin asked, the curiosity written plain as day on her face. 

“When I realized I loved you.” Valeera’s response came easily and without hesitation...and it took Liadrin’s breath away so that she could only nod in reply. “When I realized it was pointless because it would never be the way it was with you. When I realized I was waking up in the middle of the night terrified you wouldn’t make it home from your latest tour because I didn’t know, anymore, how to live my life without you in it. Or if I would even want to.” 

Once those words finished washing over her in a wave so strong it made her shiver against Valeera, Liadrin leaned in and kissed her slowly, cradling her cheek in her hand as she did so. “I love you, too, Valeera. More than I will ever be able to tell you or show you. But you don’t have to be scared like that, anymore.”

Valeera drew in a deep, sharp breath and pulled Liadrin into a hug that was both unbelievably tight and entirely necessary in that instant. “I know. And that’s why I’m happier than I’ve ever been, too, I think. That’s why I’m glad I’m not the only one who is.” 

“You aren’t.” Liadrin reassured quietly, enveloping Valeera in the strength of her arms. 

“I know. Shut up. You’re going to make me cry.” 

Liadrin let out a soft breath against Valeera’s hair. One of both amusement and emotion that she couldn’t control. 

“You’re allowed to, you know. It’s just me.” Liadrin whispered, lifting a hand to stroke gently up the length of one of Valeera’s ears. 

She didn’t mention the hot, wet feeling she could already feel against her neck where Valeera had hidden her face. 

She just let Valeera stand there in her arms until she was finally able to pull away without Liadrin seeing what she’d already felt.


End file.
